Hundreds of 'Restore the Fourth' NSA Protestors March in New York City

Restore the Fourth Protestors Hit New York City

Restore the Fourth

A protestor uses his Restore the Fourth sign as a shield from the sun.

Image by Alex Fitzpatrick

Crowd Rallies

Speakers rallied the crowd at Union Square before the march began.

Image by Alex Fitzpatrick

Watching Over

A demonstrator dressed as a surveillance camera watches over the crowd.

Image by Alex Fitzpatrick

Yes We Scan

The "Yes We Scan" sign, a riff on President Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" campaign motto, lead the march.

Image by Alex Fitzpatrick

Google Glass? Pass.

A protestor holds an anti-Google sign.

Image by Alex Fitzpatrick

Don't Tread On Me

A protestor wears a "Don't Tread On Me" flag.

Image by Alex Fitzpatrick

Metadata Matters

A protester displays a sign referencing "metadata," one kind of information collected by the NSA.

Image by Alex Fitzpatrick

Guy Fawkes

A protestor wears a Guy Fawkes mask backwards while he marches. The mask is associated with Anonymous and Internet activism in general.

Image by Alex Fitzpatrick

NYPD

A New York Police Department officer follows alongside the march. Police worked to ensure the demonstration stayed on the sidewalks.

Image by Alex Fitzpatrick

Onlooker Watches

An onlooker watches as the march passes her parked vehicle.

Image via Alex Fitzpatrick

Approximately 300 protestors demonstrating against the National Security Administration's surveillance programs marched three miles from New York City's Union Square south to Federal Hall onThursday. The march was one of 50 such protests organized in cities across the country.

The Restore the Fourth protests originated on Reddit less than a month ago. The name is a reference to the Fourth Amendment, which protects American citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures. Many of the protestors said the NSA's surveillance programs violate that amendment.

"I'm concerned that out government, without any knowledge of the people ... this is really an invasion of our privacy, a concerning invasion of our privacy," said Kyle Morgan, a 24-year-old New Jersey resident. "I hope that the NSA and the powers that be really take notice that people are terrified of what's going on," he added.

The event's leaders hope to turn today's demonstrations into a national organization that can continue doing sustained advocacy campaigns in the future.

"I saw this on Reddit and I think it's a good cause," said another protestor named Nina, 23, who elected not to share her full name. "I'd like to actually do something instead of just looking up links about it."

Did you join a Restore the Fourth protest Thursday? Share your story in the comments below.

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